Rangers rookie Miller scores twice in Garden debut

NEW YORK – One game does not make a rookie’s career, even if J.T. Miller’s performance was historic by Rangers stan­dards and storybook in terms of getting a first-shift goal in his Madison Square Garden debut.

Given coach John Tortorel­la’s urgency in coaxing some consistency out of the Rangers, all Miller’s two-goal outing in a 4-1 win over the Islanders on Thursday night did was guaran­tee him a spot in Sunday’s line­up against the Lightning.

With captain Ryan Callahan back after missing three games with an injured left shoulder, struggling veteran Brian Boyle a healthy scratch but soon to get another opportunity and Tor­torella admitting before the game he considered benching Marian Gaborik, among others, there is a logjam at forward for the Rangers (5-5-0).

“He has a lot of puck poise for such a young kid,” Tortorel­la said of 19-year-old Miller, the 15th overall pick in the 2011 draft. “He’s got some bite to him. I’d rather have a guy that you need to tame a little bit as he’s learning to be a pro rather than [try] to get someone to play with some spunk like that.” “He’s got some good strut to his game,” Tortorella added. “We just have to make sure he doesn’t cross the line the other way. He’s done that a few times along the way.” Gaborik also scored, snap­ping a four-game goal-less streak and Henrik Lundqvist, among those cited by Tortorel­la before the game as underper­forming, made 27 saves.

“It just gets you much sharp­er and we know we have to be better consistently,” said defenseman Marc Staal, who had two assists, of Tortorella's words and actions since Tuesday's 3-1 loss at New Jersey.

"It wakes you up a little bit and it makes sure you're staying sharp and giving your best." Miller started the game on a line with Callahan and fellow rookie Chris Kreider, who set up his first goal at 1:29 of the first period as Miller skated up the left wing and beat Evgeni Nabokov (21 saves) with a wrist shot.

He also added a power-play goal to make it 3-1 at 18:11 of the second period on a long outlet pass from Ryan McDonagh.

Miller became the first Ranger to score multiple goals in their Garden debut since Chris Kontos in a 6-2 win over the Red Wings on Jan. 3, 1983, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Miller also became the youngest Ranger to score at least twice since Alex Kovalev scored a hat trick in a 6-5 win over the Bruins on Dec. 27, 1992.

"I don't know if I had a goal in mind," said Miller, who hours before faceoff had said he needed to have a strong first shift.

"It was really nice to get it out of the way there. I was just trying to look past it because we had a lot of game left." Callahan's return certainly bolstered the Rangers' penalty kill, which kept the Islanders scoreless in five man-advantage opportunities, including two in the third period plus the remaining time on McDonagh's roughing penalty at 19:37 of the second period.

The Rangers' power play was 1for-2, though it's still 4-for-37 this season.

"The start we had was good," said McDonagh, who added an empty-net goal at 17:52 of the third period.

"It was good not to be chasing it in the game." Gaborik made it, 2-0, at 14:04 of the first period with his teamleading sixth goal, collecting the puck in the slot with new linemate Taylor Pyatt setting a screen.

John Tavares had brought the Islanders within 2-1 at 11:13 of the second period as retreating defenseman Anton Stralman allowed Tavares space and time to roof a wrist shot over Lundqvist's glove and under the crossbar.